For our first round, we’re featuring Jhon Vargas, from Venezuala. Vargas is one of only two Duelists to make it to the Top 64 with ABC! He’s facing Federico Vergara, from Colombia, who’s using Burning Abyss! This will be a very different Match from the usual Trickstar matchups we’ve encountered this weekend – let’s see how the Duelists adapt to a more unique opponent.

Duel 1

Vargas won the dice roll, and began with a hand of Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm, Union Hangar, Skill Drain, Monster Reborn, and Infinite Impermanence. He played Union Hangar first, adding B-Buster Drake to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and equipped A-Assault Core to it. He Set his two Trap Cards and passed.

Vergara activated Sekka’s Light to draw two cards, then played Rescue Cat. Vargas flipped Infinite Impermanence, and Vergara used Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended from his hand! The kitty was safe, and its effect brought two copies of Gallis the Star Beast to the field. He Xyz Summoned Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, sending Rescue Cat; Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; and Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard! Graff Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from the Deck, and Cir Special Summoned Graff from the Graveyard. He used Scarm and Dante to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix. Graff was destroyed by its Continuous Effect. Phoenix discarded Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to try destroying the Set Skill Drain, and Vargas Chained it to negate Phoenix. Vergara banished Sauravis and Libic to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning! Luster Soldier destroyed Buster Drake in battle – Buster Drake added C-Crush Wyvern to Vargas’s hand. Knightmare Phoenix attacked directly, and Scarm’s effect put Tour Guide From the Underworld in Vergara’s hand in the End Phase.

Vargas drew Dragon Shrine. He Normal Summoned Crush Wyvern, and used Union Hangar to equip it with Buster Drake. He then banished C from his field along with A and B from his Graveyard to play ABC-Dragon Buster! Vargas tried searching with the Buster Drake that was equipped, but Vergara used Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. ABC-Dragon Buster destroyed Knightmare Phoenix in battle, and Vargas Set Dragon Shrine as a bluff.

Vergara banished Sekka’s Light from his Graveyard, shuffling a useless Effect Veiler into his Deck to draw a new card. He activated another Sekka’s Light to draw two more cards. He Special Summoned Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand, and it wasn’t destroyed thanks to Skill Drain. He Special Summoned Gallis the Star Beast from his hand, sending an Ash Blossom to the Graveyard and dealing 600 damage. Finally, he Normal Summoned Fairy Tail – Snow. He went to his Extra Deck, using Gallis and Snow to play Underclock Taker. He banished seven monsters from his Graveyard to bring Snow back to the field, using it with Farfa and Underclock to play Borreload Dragon. Vargas Chained ABC’s effect, discarding Darkwurm, and Chained ABC’s next effect by Tributing it. Since ABC was no longer face-up it wasn’t affected by Skill Drain – he Special Summoned Assault Core, Buster Drake, and Crush Wyvern in Defense Position, then banished Borreload Dragon! Union Hangar equipped Wyvern with an Assault Core from the Deck. Luster Soldier destroyed Buster Drake, and Vargas added Crush Wyvern to his hand.

Vargas drew another Dragon Shrine. He Special Summoned his equipped Assault Core and Hangar equipped it with a Buster Drake. He used his first Core with Wyvern to play Qliphort Genius, and his Core added Drake to his hand. He Normal Summoned it, combining it with his second Core to play Knightmare Phoenix. The Link Materials put Buster Drake and Heavy Mech Support Armor in his hand. Monster Reborn revived ABC-Dragon Buster – he discarded Wyvern and targeted Luster Soldier, and ABC was negated. However, that gave him enough materials in the Graveyard to Special Summon two more copies of ABC-Dragon Buster! Vergara had no way to defend against the power of three Dragon Busters!

Duel 2

Vergara chose to play first, and started with Tour Guide From the Underworld Special Summoning Fiendish Rhino Warrior. He Xyz Summoned Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss in Defense Position, detaching Rhino to send Gallis and two Farfa to the Graveyard. Rhino Warrior’s effect sent Graff to the Graveyard, which Special Summoned Cir. He used Cir and Dante to Link Summon Underclock Taker. The Link Materials activated their effects – Dante returned Cir to the hand, and Cir in turn Special Summoned Dante. He used Dante to play Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal in Defense Position, discarding Scarm to do so. In the End Phase, Scarm added Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand.

Vargas had a hand of Dark Hole, A-Assault Core, Skill Drain, Terraforming, Called by the Grave, and Union Hangar. Terraforming searched out Dragon Ravine, which he used to discard Assault Core and send Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm to the Graveyard. He played Dark Hole, and Beatrice’s effect sent Peropero Cerperus to the Graveyard. The Dante Xyz Material hit the Graveyard and targeted Graff, and Vargas used Called by the Grave to banish and negate Beatrice. Vargas Special Summoned Darkwurm and added Supreme King Gate Zero to his hand, then played Union Hangar to add Buster Drake to his hand. He Normal Summoned Buster Drake and equipped it with Crush Wyvern. Darkwurm attacked, and Vergara used Cerperus to destroy Buster Drake– Vargas destroyed his Crush Wyvern to protect Buster Drake, and attacked with it as well. He combined Drake with Darkwurm to play Knightmare Phoenix, then used Phoenix to play Knightmare Mermaid. It discarded Gate Zero for its effect, just as the round timer ended. The first Duel with Skill Drain in play ate up most of the time – this Duel was decided by the current Life Points, with Vargas the winner!